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Thyroid function and serum prolactin levels in patients with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus
M V Ronchezel1, C A Len, A Spinola e Castro
1Department of Pediatrics, Sao Paulo Federal University, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Brazil.
Objective:
To evaluate both thyroid function and serum prolactin levels in patients with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) and to detect possible correlation with disease activity.
Methods:
Forty-two JSLE patients (3-15 years old at disease onset), twenty-two pubertal. All patients were evaluated according their clinical manifestations and disease activity. We determined serum prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), T4, free T4, T3, thyroid peroxidasis and thyreoglobulin antibodies in all patients and controls. Thyroid ultrasonography was performed in the patients.
Results:
We did not observe any difference in thyroid hormone and prolactin levels between patients and controls. One patient with JSLE presented with hyperthyroidism and six had thyroid antibodies. We observed abnormalities by ultrasonography in four patients (9.3%), specially heterogeneity of the gland echotexture. We did not find any correlation between prolactin levels, clinical manifestations or disease activity.
Conclusions:
Evaluation of thyroid function should not be routine for JSLE patients. Thyroid hormones and prolactin should be measured only in patients with clinical manifestations of hypo- or hyperthyroidism.